Familia!
I've been in Arizona for two weeks now! It went way faster
than my time in the MTC. This week was easier, in the way that I'm more used to
what's happening and the schedule. And I'm remembering the people and learning
my way around this little two-stoplight town!
I'm getting along better with my companion, although we
definitely have our struggles. The other sisters we live with are GREAT, and we
all have fun times in the mornings and nights when we're all together. Although
we don't get much done :)
So, in case I didn't say.... We cover the Taylor 3rd and 9th
wards, and the YSA 7th branch in Snowflake. So my area is huge, because YSA
pulls from all around! We can't go our far enough to see everyone, because we
only have 1100 miles a month for the car. The YSA branch is also changing a
bunch, with people moving out and in for school, so we can't do a whole lot
until it settles down. Near the end of the transfer. huh. The college here is
Northland Pioneer College, and that is were we all email from! The library is
packed on p-days :)
The weather here is crazy right now, it rains almost every
day, and some days it pours and some days it sprinkles. Mom, I am so happy you
made me pack that umbrella! It actually got some use this week :)
I got some advice this week from Hermana Wadsworth, a sister
I live with. She said to wake up everyday and think to yourself, "This is
going to be the Best Day Ever!" It is really good advice! It really does
make each day better, because you are working on making it the best day ever!
I had my first meeting/lesson with my first
investigator- Eli is a YSA who has been going to the LDS church for over a
year, and has taken all the lessons from the sisters before I got here. His
baptism was set for August 17th- but because he is a firefighter, he and the
department got called to a fire in California for two weeks. So we'll have to
reschedule. But it went really well! We talked about Joseph Smith some, and we
showed him the baptismal interview questions. He really didn't like number 4,
which asks if you have ever committed a serious crime, or participated in an
abortion, etc. So we talked about it, and apparently I was able to explain it
to him so he was okay with it! ME! I said something like, the bishop needs to
know you have repented of previous sins before you get baptized, .... or
something like that. And then Eli said, well you finally
explained it to me so I understand. I had a personal moment of joy. Yay! But it
stinks because he's gone right now, and we can't even get a hold of him.
Well, I guess somebody has to save the world!
We have been visiting with Alondra, an 8 year old who was
with her grandmother for the summer. We went with her to primary last Sunday,
and we got her a children's Book of Mormon stories at the local LDS bookstore.
Everyday until Friday when she left with her mom, we went next door to their
trailer and read with her. She has a hard time understanding, but I think she
privately loves the stories and the pictures. Her mom said she would continue
to read them with her, and we got her address to send the missionaries in Tempe
to hopefully continue to meet with her! She is a sweet sweet girl and we will
miss her. Especially her grandmother, Raquel, because now she is all alone. She
stills wants us to visit her, but we can't too often because she is active, and
just lonely. But she is awesome. Difficult to understand because she is a
native Spanish speaker, and has no teeth.... but great.
Yesterday the mission president and his wife, President and
Sister Sweeney, came up and we had a mission president fireside, where three
recent converts spoke, and they both spoke briefly at the end. It was awesome!
And the missionaries sang Called to Serve, and the youth sang the
EFY medley. and I cried. haha. It was packed in the chapel too! we had to
open up the little overflow section! Members were invited to bring
investigators and nonmember friends to it, so hopefully progress is seen. I
don't think any of ours came, but it was still great. Afterwards, our car
wouldn't start. Luckily the vehicle coordinator and his wife, Elder and Sister
Williams, were there, and they were with us to jump the car and give us
instructions. We've been talking to Elder Williams all day today, because first
thing after study at 10, instead of coming to email we went to get the battery
fixed- it barely started this morning! Long story short, we went to 3 places:
got our oil changed and battery checked at Jiffy Lube- they said we needed to
replace our battery, almost got the battery replaced at Snowflake Tire, but got
the Zone Leaders to come talk car with the people, then went to NAPA to
get the battery checked again... and everything was fine. So after this, Elder
Williams wants us to go to Show Low and get the battery replaced because it's
still under warranty. We drive a 2012, the battery shouldn't die for no reason!
That's a little bit of a drive, but we got permission to go to Walmart while
we're there to shop, so yay! Speaking of permission.....
Last night, the four of us sisters got permission from the
mission president to go the temple! Friday morning at 5:30, and we'll go
right into study afterwards. We've been hearing such good things about the new
movie, and it's killing us. So yay, we can go!!! We're all super duper excited!
Because the next time we're allowed to go is next transfer, in a month. So
special temple time for us!
Super long email, makes up for last week!
I love you all! Thanks for your letters and you do for me!
and thanks to the Brown army who is praying for me!!!!!
Love,
Sister Hailey Brown
Shawn and all their family came to the family history center
and we tried to show them how to do that, so we don't know where they are now,
but tonight we're meeting with them at a member's family for FHE at 6:30. so
we'll see!!
Sister Brown, Alondra and Sister McCashland
Mesa Arizona Temple
Arizona landscape
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